By Eric HeinzThe ninth annual State of the City was, for the most part, like many of the addresses that came before it. Mayor Kathy Ward praised the city’s efforts in passing certain legislation, the enhanced transportation options since La Pata’s opening and the youth of San Clemente.

But just as the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center was the looming issue at last year’s State of the City, the new proposals put forth by the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) for new toll roads through San Clemente has been a topic of contention (once again).
Some of the proposals would cut through San Clemente or certain neighborhoods.

San Clemente Mayor Kathy Ward speaks to the audience during the State of the City on Friday, April 7, at Bella Colina San Clemente Photo: Eric Heinz

“I would be derelict in my duties as mayor if I did not mention a current idea of extending the 241 toll road through San Clemente. This is a very serious issue for our city,” Ward said. “There is no extension that ends at or slices through San Clemente that would be acceptable. This extension would destroy our city.”

Ed Sachs, Foothill/Eastern TCA board chairman, submitted a response to Ward’s comments in an email on Tuesday, April 11.

“South Orange County has said loud and clear they expect us to solve the growing traffic problem in the region, which exists most prevalently along the I-5 North/South corridor to the county line,” Sachs stated in the email. “That is why we began engaging the public and soliciting their traffic solutions ideas of which we now have 17. All those ideas must now be analyzed, studied and screened through a transparent and open process to find the best solution with the least impact.”

TCA was a sponsor of the State of the City, which was hosted by the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce.

TCA had a joint board meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 13, and the San Clemente Times will follow-up with information regarding the toll road proposals in the near future.

comments (3)

1) South Orange County may have been asking, but with the exception of San Clemente… we could care less about Toll Roads. You want to destroy our city at the request of RSM. Don’t lie and say we have requested this.

2) No one expects or wants the Toll Roads to solve this, even if there was a major problem. If the roads are necessary – then the they should be free.

3) The Toll Roads are 2.2 BILLION dollars in debt. Perhaps they should look at paying this off instead of refinancing and expanding their debt building more. It’s irresponsible.

4) the proposed plan will build roads next to 6 of our schools – including our only high school. Proof that this plan could care less about our community… they are just after more money with the only benefit of saving folks 10 minutes of driving.

This town will literally be destroyed and quality of ljfe and property values will suffer greatly. It’s truly sickening the apathy we have been receiving.

The TCA is floundering. Without new business, their business model is a bust. This is a desperate attempt to survive, unfortunately by killing an entire community.

If you look at the graphics the TCA puts forward, many (most?) alignments have already been removed from contention for one reason or another. They want this to look democratic, like they chose the best option. But there are NO good alignments that go through San Clemente, simply from a rational viewpoint.

This is a cram-down, plain and simple, and everyone in San Clemente needs to stand unified and say NO.